Chapter 50
William Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor.
The son of Queen Elizabeth VI and Queen Helena.
The legitimate heir to the British royal family.
The moment he first saw Jeong Gyeoul in the White Drawing Room after being summoned by the Queen.
“…Beautiful.”
In his short life, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen among his peers.
At that very first moment, Prince William fell for Jeong Gyeoul.
Due to his naturally shy personality, they only exchanged brief greetings and ate in silence, and by then, the Demon King’s group had already left.
“Matthew, I think I’ve fallen for her.”
“…The Demon King is a bit much to be the Crown Princess.”
Matthew, his bodyguard, thought William had fallen for the Demon King.
He shook his head.
The Demon King, who is like a sister to Helena.
A 14-year age difference.
Of course, as an Awakened One, Jeong Ha-yul’s aging would come later than Prince William’s, but the family tree would still be a mess.
Moreover, having served as a close royal bodyguard, Matthew had often encountered Jeong Ha-yul.
Knowing what kind of person she was, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
‘He’s definitely going to be tied down. He might even end up as a son-in-law in Korea.’
William looked at Matthew incredulously.
“What are you talking about? I’m talking about her sister.”
“Ah, Miss Jeong Gyeoul? Miss Gyeoul is fine. She’s the right age, the youngest Awakened One, and her sister is the Demon King… Wait, no, actually, that might be a reason to avoid her.”
William had fallen for Jeong Gyeoul, not the Demon King.
Matthew felt relieved but also couldn’t help but worry.
‘Jeong Gyeoul is still a woman from the Demon King’s family… She’ll probably end up just like her when she grows up.’
“I don’t care about that. I’m not some nouveau riche who has to marry based on family background. If I like her, that’s all that matters. My mother said the same.”
“I don’t particularly have any objections.”
“Right? But… how do I approach her? Today, all I could do was greet her.”
Eight-year-old virgin Prince William had no idea how to approach a girl he liked.
Thinking that Matthew, who had lived much longer, might have some advice, he sought his counsel.
A very, very bad decision.
“Why are you worried? Romance is a power struggle. Use your position as Crown Prince or whatever to win the power struggle. That’s the first step.”
“Power struggle?”
It felt wrong, but William had no choice but to trust and listen to Matthew, who had lived decades longer.
“Jeong Gyeoul is the Demon King’s sister. She’s never been treated poorly. You’ll be the first man to treat her like this! She’ll be curious about you.”
“…I don’t think so.”
“Trust me. I may not look like it, but I’m a dating expert with over a hundred blind dates.”
The bodyguard’s eyes were firm.
William believed him wholeheartedly.
With completely wrong ideas, he spent the day with a fluttering heart.
And the result was now.
*Crash—*
A tremendous impact that felt like his skull would shatter.
If his mouth had been open, his teeth might have broken.
“Ugh…”
Tears welled up from the massive shock that reverberated through his head.
The Crown Prince, who didn’t want to cry in front of the girl he liked, barely held it in.
‘Just wait, Matthew…’
Matthew, the self-proclaimed dating expert with over a hundred blind dates.
He should have asked how many of those were successful.
It was William’s mistake for not heeding his mother’s advice to be cautious of subordinates’ counsel.
“Hey.”
“…Yes?”
“Keep this a secret. If you don’t want to get hit again.”
“…Yes.”
Power struggle?
The Crown Prince’s authority?
None of that mattered.
When fists are flying right in front of you, no child can ignore it.
But.
‘She’s the first woman to hit me, besides my mother…’
Matthew’s dating advice was taking a different turn.
***
Damn dress.
Dress, damn.
After hitting William’s head, the thought wasn’t about royal disrespect or relations with England, but the dress.
How had she avoided it until now? Just one wrong punch and now she had to wear a dress.
“Hey.”
“…Yes?”
She glared at the root of all this trouble, Prince William.
He was still holding his head in pain.
Tears were welling up, and it looked like he might cry any moment.
Was it the pride of being the Crown Prince that kept those tears from falling?
“Keep this a secret. If you don’t want to get hit again.”
“…Yes.”
William was more compliant than expected.
Had the hierarchy been established with just one punch?
If all the kids at Cheongdam Elementary were like him, she wouldn’t have had to punch around so much that her family found out.
“How old are you again?”
“E-eight years old.”
“I’m a year older. Is it okay if I speak casually?”
She was already speaking casually, but it was polite to ask.
“Yes, it’s fine. What should I call you? Should I call you noona?”
“Just call me teacher.”
Noona? No way.
She wasn’t about to let him call her something so nauseating.
The Queen’s intention was for her to be William’s friend and teacher.
But she decided to skip the friend part.
‘My only friend is Hayan.’
Sorry, Jeong Min, you were never really my friend.
Just a subordinate brat.
“Yes, I’ll do that. Teacher.”
“…If you had just been like this from the start, neither of us would have been uncomfortable. Why did you act like that at first?”
“Matthew said to do it like that…”
Matthew?
Whoever that is, they must be crazy.
Doesn’t seem like someone who’d be helpful to the Crown Prince.
“Try to avoid him. He doesn’t seem like a good person.”
“Yes…”
Kid, if you had been like this from the start, it would have been so much better.
“Anyway, keep this a secret. Especially from my family… got it?”
“Yes, Teacher…”
If William keeps his mouth shut, it’ll be the perfect crime.
She absolutely must not have to wear a dress.
“By the way, what am I supposed to teach you? I didn’t hear anything before coming.”
“I didn’t hear much either… just that you were coming to visit.”
So they’re leaving it entirely up to me?
“Can you fight at all?”
“I’ve never fought before, so I don’t know…”
“Never fought? No siblings or friends?”
“No, I’m the Queen’s only child, and I’m still homeschooled, so I don’t have any friends…”
You’re living a pretty pitiful life too.
“Anyway, are you going to school later?”
“Yes, I think I’ll start next year.”
Good, I’ll make sure you don’t get bullied anywhere.
“Anyway, studying is better left to others. What I can teach you is how to survive in the world…”
“…Huh? You’re only a year older…”
“Shh!”
This little brat.
Where does he get off interrupting his teacher?
“First rule, don’t interrupt your teacher.”
“…?”
“Repeat after me.”
“Te-teacher’s words should not be interrupted.”
“There’s a saying: ‘King, teacher, and father are one.’ It means the grace of the king, teacher, and father are all the same. From today, I am your teacher… ahem.”
“…?”
Does the Crown Prince even need to serve a king?
For him, the only king would be Queen Helena.
That’s filial piety, not elementary learning. Should I recite the Classic of Filial Piety instead?
Ah, whatever.
“Anyway, I’m your teacher now. Do well, kid.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
But why does he keep blushing?
Is he getting angry from being hit earlier?
“Where were we?”
“About how to survive in the world…”
“Ah, right. From now on, I’ll teach you how to survive in the world. The most important thing is physical strength. Fists are faster than the law.”
“But I have many bodyguards…”
“Will they be by your side forever? What if someone stronger than your bodyguards tries to kidnap you? You’ll be taken without any resistance.”
“…”
This young Crown Prince doesn’t yet know how scary the world can be.
Honestly, those bodyguards by your side.
I could probably take out a few of them if I wanted to, but relying solely on them is dangerous.
This is practically a safety hazard.
“First, call one of those bodyguards.”
“Yes… Matthew!”
A loud call for Matthew, and the sound of someone running in from outside.
By the way, Matthew?
The one who tried to turn the Crown Prince into a brat?
“You called?”
In less than two seconds, he was in front of the Crown Prince.
What’s so fast about that…
…An Awakened One?
Of course, an Awakened One who looks stronger than me.
I thought I could take out a few bodyguards?
How did I become so overconfident?
With my pitiful abilities, I probably couldn’t last five seconds against Matthew.
Had I forgotten because William is so childlike?
This is the British royal family.
The level of the Crown Prince’s bodyguards can’t be low…
“Teacher doubts Matthew’s abilities.”
“…Huh?”
“Teacher said that if someone stronger than Matthew tried to kidnap me, I wouldn’t be able to resist and would be taken. She told me to call Matthew.”
Crown Prince, don’t say it like that…
“…Even if you are the Demon King’s sister, it’s not right to disrespect the royal guard.”
Immediately, Matthew’s fierce gaze swept over me.
I could feel his magic power scanning me meticulously…
“Uh, that’s not it… William miscommunicated…”
“William? He is the Crown Prince. Address him properly.”
“No… His Highness the Crown Prince… miscommunicated… right?”
“Are you saying that the legitimate heir to the British royal family, the Crown Prince, is lying?”
“That’s not it…”
“Then, is it true that you disrespected the royal guard?”
“…”
Matthew, why are you so extreme…
Trying to discipline William, I ended up being disciplined instead.
Never thought I’d have a bully in England.